Best Ingredients to Cook Healthy Meals in The Hamptons This Summer

Elements Staff Published On: Jul 28, 2021

One of the many amazing things about The Hamptons is the fresh food. With farm stands galore, the flavorful ingredients are endless. We searched East Hampton for the best summer ingredients for you to cook delicious meals with!

Tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes are the perfect ingredient to add a pop of summer to any dish. No matter what your tomato preference is, East Hampton farmers markets have you covered. Try making these mini caprese kebabs as a delicious and easy appetizer!

Berries

Fresh berries bring a delicious sweet flavor to any recipe. Whether you love berries in sweet or savory dishes, they are the perfect addition to any summer meal. Add a handful of berries to your breakfast for extra flavor and antioxidants, or enjoy them on the beach as a sweet and refreshing snack!

Corn

What’s a summer barbeque without corn on the cob? Pick up fresh corn from a farm stand to enjoy a sweet flavor you can’t find in the grocery store. Simply throw them on the grill or whip up a summer corn salad.

Watermelon

A fresh watermelon screams summer. East Hampton farm stands are the place to find a perfect watermelon that never disappoints. Cut it up and bring it to the beach as a refreshing snack, or add it into creative recipes. Make a watermelon, tomato and feta salad that is sure to be a hit.

Peaches

There is nothing like a fresh, juicy peach from an East Hampton farm stand. Enjoy eating a fresh peach for a sweet bite of summer. Try making your peaches into a delicious peach cobbler for a fruit- filled dessert your family is sure to love!

Tips to Stay Healthy While on Vacation

Elements Staff Published On: Jul 28, 2021

Include exercise as a vacation activity

A hike, bike ride or beach walk is the perfect addition to any day on vacation. Whether you’re with family or friends, opt for a bonding activity that gets your body moving. Choose a location that will be worth the trip, with scenic views that will make for great photos.

Cook or order meals with fresh, local ingredients

Wherever you are enjoying your vacation, meals with local and fresh ingredients are both delicious and healthy. In the Hamptons, choose meals with fresh produce and fish. Explore the endless tasty options packed with nutrients to keep you feeling your best.

Pack snacks

Whether your vacation means exploring a new city or laying on the beach, it is important that your body is properly nourished. Choose to pack snacks to avoid relying on less healthy options. Some examples of healthy snacks on the go are nuts, protein bars, carrots, apples and bananas.

Have the treat!

Vacation destinations can be filled with sweet treats that make your mouth water. Instead of restricting yourself, choose to enjoy the treat. Indulging will not break your health progress. In fact, it has been found that consuming desserts every once in a while can help reduce the urge to binge on sugar later on.

Take time for yourself

However you define “you time,” it is a necessity on vacation. Find time to do what you love to relax and rejuvenate yourself before returning to the hectic energy of everyday life. Whether that means reading a book, listening to your favorite music, or having your favorite drink, find the time and enjoy!

3 Leg Workouts You Can Do With Just a Loop Band

Elements Staff Published On: Jul 27, 2021

Is your lack of access to exercise equipment making you less motivated to sweat? Whether you’re traveling, or simply not ready to go back to the gym, loop bands are the perfect piece of equipment. Loop bands are resistance bands that you can loop around your thighs, and they can make all the difference in your workout. To help you incorporate this into your routine, we created a list of three leg workouts you can do with just a loop band.

Clam Shells

Clam shells are an effective workout to strengthen your glutes and obliques. Loop the resistance band around your thighs, lie on your side with your hips stacked and your legs at a 90 degree angle, press your feet together and engage your core. Push your top knee upwards, and release it back down, remaining slow and controlled. Repeat this motion for about 15 repetitions, or until you are unable to maintain proper form.

Hip Bridges

Glute bridges are the perfect exercise to get your glutes and hamstrings burning. Loop the resistance band around your thighs and lie on your back. Place your feet flat on the floor, engage your abs, and lift your glutes off the ground by pressing with your heals. Push your knees out against the resistance of the band to keep them in line with your shoulders and feet throughout the movement. Continue for about 15 repetitions.

Lateral Band Steps

Simply stepping to the side while wearing a loop band is the perfect exercise to strengthen your hip- abductor muscles and quads. Loop the resistance band around your thighs, and keep your thighs hip width apart. Slightly bend your knees, and step your right foot about 12 inches to your right, then bring the left foot back to hips- width distance. Repeat this movement, alternating directions, for about 15 repetitions.

If you don’t own a loop band, you can purchase one at our online shop here!

Biggest Workout Trends of Summer 2021

Elements Staff Published On: Jul 12, 2021

After a year of at home workouts, getting out of the house feels better than ever. With endless options of ways to sweat, we’re here to help guide you on this summer’s biggest workout trends!

Yoga and Meditation

After a tough year, mental health is as important as ever. Focus on you this summer by taking time to be in touch with your body and mind through yoga and meditation. Practice this in an outdoor spot that makes you feel most at peace.

Dance

This summer is the perfect time to turn up the music and get your body moving. Dancing is a source of positivity, and an effective workout that is sure to bring you joy. Start your dance journey in a barre and dance fusion class at Elements!

HIIT

Want to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family that you may not have been able to spend time with this past year? High intensity interval workouts are the perfect opportunity to get outside and get after it. Whether you’re in a park, on the beach, or in your driveway, there’s always a space to get in your HIIT workout.

Hybrid workouts

A combination of workouts that target the full body is just what everyone needs to get moving this summer. These classes will keep you motivated and excited to sweat. Try a barre and dance fusion class at Elements for an exciting hybrid experience!

How to Beat the Heat with Outdoor Workouts this Summer

Elements Staff Published On: Dec 07, 2020

Outdoor workouts are trending right now, and for good reason. With coronavirus still prevalent, working out outdoors allows for more distance between you and your buds and more fresh air circulation. Plus, in a lot of places, gyms and fitness studios are either completely closed or only open in a limited capacity.

While working out in the great outdoors is an awesome alternative, it comes with its own obstacles. Exercising is already hot and sweaty inside, how can you survive taking it outside? And what if it rains? Read on for tips on beating the heat with your summer workouts!

Drink Plenty of Water

The hotter it is, the more you sweat. The more you sweat, the more you need to drink water. Staying hydrated to avoid feeling tired and dizzy, two common side effects of dehydration. Not a huge fan of H20? Try adding fruit, like watermelon or strawberries, or swapping out still for sparkling water. Coconut water is another good option, as it has natural electrolytes.

Wear Sunscreen

Whether you’re outside for 30 minutes or 3 hours, be sure you slap on some sunscreen. Be sure to reapply at least every 2 hours, and right after you swim or sweat.

Find Some Shade

Try to workout near some shade, like a tree, so you can escape the sun if you’re feeling overheated. If you plan to workout outside often, or if you live somewhere with unpredictable weather, you might want to invest in a canopy tent that can easily be put up in case there’s any light rain, or it’s 115 degrees and you need a sun break.

3 Tips for a Healthier You

Elements Staff Published On: Dec 07, 2020

Founder Andrea’s Tips for a Healthier You

Eating healthy, feeling strong, and fueling from the inside out is the quickest way to becoming the happiest and healthiest version of yourself!

Check out Founder and CEO Andrea’s 3 tips for integrating healthy habits, exercises, and foods into your everyday!

Tip 1

Weights, Cardio, Protein, Power:

How increasing these 4 powerhouses can optimize your training.

1. Weights: adding wrist or ankle weights to cardio activity increases the workload, meaning you’ll burn calories in a shorter amount of time.

2. Cardio: cardio activity in conjunction with sculpting & toning exercises increases the metabolic rate, which helps the body burn calories more efficiently.

3. Protein- increasing the intake of protein helps muscle function and builds strength. Protein powers the body to build and 3strengthen. You can find protein in powders, lean meat, tofu, and beans.

4. Power- increasing the intensity of your work out STEADILY over time helps the body to gain greater overall health, rather than, for example, adding 50 lbs to your deadlift overnight, which can lead to injury and burnout.

Tip 2:

Ditch the stationary equipment:

Hit the mat & hit the floor.

I see a ton of clients with horrible hip and low back injuries from increased use of indoor stationary equipment.

The body does not move perfectly parallel, however indoor cycle bikes, elliptical machines, and such have a property called sheer force, which holds the equipment in place, forcing the body to only work in one plane of motion. This causes pain and, over time, injury. It’s best to include cardio routines that use weight bearing, free moving exercises, allowing the body to move across all planes of motion with ease. Things like HIIT classes, dance classes, and barre classes are great options.

If you do have an injury, consider rehabbing by focusing on mat pilates exercises to regain strength while allowing the injury to heal. It’s always best to consult a physician if you experience persistent pain or ongoing problems.

Tip 3:

Matcha & Bars:

Yummy energy boosters.

I particularly like to add Matcha and healthy protein bars to my clients’ diets as it helps them curve cravings and boost the metabolism. Matcha is a natural source of energy and caffeine. Regular use in the diet can actually speed up the metabolism by helping the body burn calories faster and more efficiently. It can replace coffee altogether, and mixed with coconut milk is a great non-dairy latte option.

In addition, RxBars are my new favorite grab and go snack, as they are power packed with lots of protein and help the body sustain energy for long periods of time. RxBars are a great supplement as you run from meeting to meeting and have no time for a full meal. This helps the body avoid high and low spikes in blood sugar, which can make you feel both jittery and sluggish.

Top 5 Tips to Get #TonedAF!

Elements Staff Published On: Dec 04, 2020

These are our top 5 tips to get fit and toned in a hurry at home!

1. Booty Booty Booty Rockin’ Everywhere:
Grab your red or green booty band, hit the mat, and throw your booty band around the thighs. Lay down on the mat with the legs in a parallel position and press the hips high, pulsing up and down, squeezing the glutes and the thighs. This exercise sculpts the booty and the legs.
Repeat 20 to 30 times (4 to 5 sets)

2. Sexy Shoulders:
Standing with the legs in parallel, holding 3 or 5 lb weights, pull the elbows into the waistline with the palms high, then press the arms out long at shoulder level and turn the palms down. This exercise sculpts the biceps, triceps and shoulders.
Repeat 10 times (2 to 3 sets)

3. Wickedly Sexy Waistline:
Holding the 3 or 5 lbs weights by your side with straight arms, bend side to side from the waistline, squeezing the obliques and the transverse abdominal wall. Try to reach the hands all the way down to the ankles. This exercise sculpts the core.
Repeat 20 times (2 to 3 sets)

4. Thigh Burner:
Placing the booty band around the thighs and standing with the legs parallel and slightly wider than the hips, bend the knees, taking the seat towards the back wall, drawing the arms high over the head. Pulse down one inch and up one inch. This exercise sculpts the thighs and booty.
Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds (4 to 5 sets)

5. 60 Second Plank:
While holding a forearm plank, do these three leg variations to ignite your core.

A. Alternating knee bends- hover your right knee just an inch off the ground, then switch to the left (20 seconds)

B. Hip Presses- press your hips high, like a downward dog, then bring them back to shoulder level (20 seconds)

C. Hip Twists- twist the hips from side to side trying to touch your hip to the mat (20 seconds)